Signature Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. The medical procedures can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are permitted to administer treatments to patients, they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition in which patients are provided with detailed information about his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the treating physician. Once this information is received patients must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of care can be given. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients lack the capacity to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other circumstances, patients may not be able communicate their decision to health care professionals. In such situations patients are said to lack the appropriate capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative could then be able to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, as an example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot take decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Signature Consent Form
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment that is recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits that come with refusing any treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be recorded in the patient’s medical records But they also need to communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he can be fully aware of the specifics of the situation and get straight answers to any questions that may arise.
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